They do take some time to make since you will be dipping them into melted chocolate, but they are well worth your baking efforts.

This recipe will make approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Cookie Ingredients:

3/4 cup raisins
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated orange rind (peel)
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a small bowl, combine the raisins with the orange juice and let stand for 5-8 minutes. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter with the granulated sugar until its creamy and fluffy. Beat in the egg and grated orange peel until all ingredients are well combined.

In a medium sized bowl combine the all-purpose flour with the baking soda. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture until ingredients are combined. Stir in the raisins and rolled oats and mix well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone nonstick baking mat or lightly grease your sheet if it’s nonstick. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoons onto the sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the backside of a teaspoon. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are done. Cool completely.

Chocolate Coating Ingredients:

8 ounces white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a medium-sized bowl, melt the white chocolate chips with the vegetable oil in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring it every 20 seconds until it has melted. Dip 1/2 of your cookie into the melted chocolate mixture and lay them onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone nonstick baking mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to dry. Store cookies in an airtight container.

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4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coursely chopped.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the chocolate and sugar and grind until the chocolate is very fine.

Set aside. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the eggs and the vanilla. Beat at medium speed to blend. Reduce the speed to low, add the chocolate and flour mixtures and mix until a stiff dough forms, adding the walnuts when about half mixed.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gather it together. Divide in half. Form each half into a log 12 inches long. Carefully transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Pat to even up the shapes. Bake until almost firm to the touch, about 50 min. Let cool for 10 min.

Leave the oven set at 300 F.

Using a spatula, transfer the logs to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut on the diagonal into slices 1/2−3/4 inch thick.  Return the slices cut−side down to the baking sheet. Bake for 25 min. Turn the slices over and bake until crispy and dry, about 25 min. longer.
Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp butter

1 egg beaten or 1/4 cup egg substitute

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Equal-Sugar Lite

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup & 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

1 1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, Equal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and the 3/4 cup cocoa powder.

In a 1-quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Remove from heat and stir in banana, egg, vanilla, and  1/4 cup water, stirring until blended.  Stir in flour mixture just until blended.  This mixture will be thick.  Spoon into an ungreased glass 8″ x 8″ baking pan, spreading evenly.

In same bowl, with a wire whisk, beat brown sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and boiling water until blended.  Pour over chocolate batter.  DO NOT STIR!

Bake 35 minutes; should have some fudgy sauce on the top.  Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

YUMMY BANANA CAKE

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups Equal Sugar-Lite

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups finely mashed ripe bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, stir baking soda and baking powder into flour.  Set aside.  Cream butter and Equal together until smooth.  Add to the flour mixture.  Mix in eggs, buttermilk, bananas and vanilla.  Mix together until well blended.  Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick vegetable oil spray.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Topping:  Place 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3/4 cup Splenda Granular in blender.  Blend until a very fine powder.  Using like you would powdered sugar, sprinkle over top of cake   Store any leftover in an airtight jar.

Enjoy!

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES

This recipe is from an old Midwestern State church cookbook.

1/2 cup butter or oleo

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsps baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in the order given. Beat until smooth. Drop by rounded teaspoon on buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool and make sandwiches using the filling recipe below.

Marshmallow Filling:

1/2 cup white shortening

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup marshmallow cream

1 tsp vanilla

3 or 4 tsps milk (adjust amount for the right consistency)

Cream shortening and sugar together and mix in rest of the ingredients. Spread between cookies and make sandwiches. Wrap individually in plastic wrap to store so they won’t stick together.

CHOCOLATE DUNK COOKIES

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

8 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided

3/4 cup margarine, softened

2 tbsp firmly packed Splenda brown sugar blend OR 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup SPLENDA granular

1/4 cup egg substitute

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Coarsely chop 5 squares of the chocolate and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine, brown sugar, and SPLENDA with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add egg substitute and vanilla extract; mix well.  Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture beating until blended.  Stir in chopped chocolate and nuts.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.  Dough drops should be two inches apart.  Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheets.  Cool completely on wire racks.  Melt 3 squares of chocolate in microwave as directed on package.  Dip one half of each cookie into the melted chocolate.  Place in single layer on waxed paper and let set until chocolate is set.

Note:  This recipe uses some ingredients that make it diabetic friendly.  You can make the following changes, if you do not have diabetics in your family:  Substitute 1 egg for the egg substitute and 3/4 cup granulated sugar for the Splenda granular.

Enjoy!

For me, the smells of baking were part of my childhood, part of the fabric of how I define my childhood and part of the fabric of how I define my life to this day. The smell of a favorite baked treat can still bring a smile of remembrance to my face. What kitchen smells define your childhood memories? What smells do you want your children to define as their childhood memories? Here a couple of great variations on that old favorite, chocolate chip cookies. I hope you use these baking recipes to make wonderful memories with your children.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Mix together until creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are soft. After removing the cookies from the oven, leave them on the baking sheets for 4 minutes before removing them.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter and regular sugar. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture. Add the oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies and 12 to 13 for crispy ones.

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